1067 See eye to eye - English Idioms

Explanation

To agree with someone; to share the same opinion or perspective.

Origin

The image suggests two people looking directly at each other, implying alignment and mutual understanding.
It has biblical origins (Isaiah 52:8: Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion.) meaning to see things the same way.

Alternatives

Slang/Informal:

Be on the same wavelength
Vibe (with someone on an idea)
Click (on a plan/idea)
Be simpatico
Get each other

Vulgar/Emphatic (usually for disagreement):

We're on completely fucking different planets (about this).
(For agreement, less common): Yeah, we're totally fucking aligned now.

Milder/Formal:

Concur
Be in accord
Share the same perspective
Hold congruent views
Reach an understanding

Situational Appropriateness

Suitable for both informal and formal contexts. A standard, widely understood idiom.

Misunderstanding Warnings

Highly unlikely to be misunderstood. It's a very common and transparent idiom.

Examples

My sister and I don't always see eye to eye on politics, but we respect each other.
The board members finally saw eye to eye on the new strategy.
It's important for partners to see eye to eye on major life decisions.

Dialogue

Manager A: Have you and Sarah resolved your differences on the project budget?

Manager B: Yes, we had a long meeting yesterday and now we see eye to eye. We've found a compromise.

Manager A: Excellent. I'm glad you could work it out.

Response Patterns

Agreement/Confirmation: Yes, we're finally on the same page. / That's good to hear.
Disagreement/Negation: No, we still don't see eye to eye on that issue.
Surprise: Really? I thought you two disagreed fundamentally.
Exploration: What helped you finally see eye to eye?

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

After agreement is stated (We see eye to eye):

Great! So what's the next step?
What points did you finally agree on?

After disagreement is stated (We don't see eye to eye):

What are the main points of difference?
Is there any room for compromise?
How will you move forward then?

Conversation Starter

No. Used to describe the state of agreement or disagreement between parties already known or discussed.

Intonation

Usually fairly even stress, often slightly emphasizing EYE to EYE.
Frequently used in the negative: We DON'T see eye to eye.

Generation Differences

Used and understood by all generations.

Regional Variations

Common across all major English-speaking regions.

Put your foot down

🎲 Skin in the game

[1067] See eye to eye